The New York Rangers are doing everything they can to stay in the playoff hunt, and a recent stretch of strong performances has pulled them back within reach of a postseason spot.
With momentum building, the Rangers may look to make one more significant move to push themselves over the top. On the other side of the league’s spectrum sit the St. Louis Blues, who have stumbled badly in the Western Conference and are reportedly “open for business.”
According to insider Frank Seravalli on the November 11 episode of B/R Open Ice, the first major piece St. Louis could move is captain Brayden Schenn. If the Blues are ready to part ways with their veteran leader, it creates a compelling opportunity for the Rangers to add a proven, Cup-winning forward.
If Schenn hits the trade market, the Rangers would be wise to explore the possibility. One hypothetical framework for such a deal might look like this:
Rangers receive:
• Brayden Schenn, F
• Logan Mailloux, D
Blues receive:
• Brennan Othmann, F
• 2026 first-round pick
• Dylan Garand, G
In this proposal, New York parts with rising prospect Brennan Othmann, whose name has been popular among rival teams this season. The Rangers could also send one of their two 2026 first-round picks, with St. Louis likely preferring New York’s own pick over the one acquired from Carolina in the K’Andre Miller trade.
Goaltender Dylan Garand would round out the package. With the Blues owning the league’s worst goalie tandem this season, adding a young netminder with some NHL exposure would give them much-needed depth behind Jordan Binnington.
How Schenn Would Fit Into the Rangers’ Lineup
Schenn could immediately slot into New York’s second-line center role. For now, the Rangers’ top two center spots belong to Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck, but adding Schenn would give the team intriguing flexibility.
Trocheck could shift up to play with Zibanejad—who could even move to the wing—while Schenn anchors the second line. He could skate alongside Artemi Panarin and Gabe Perreault, pushing Alexis Lafreniere down to the third line.
Alternatively, the Rangers could stack the lineup down the middle with Zibanejad, Trocheck, and Schenn forming an elite trio of centers for the playoff race.
Cap Space: The Biggest Obstacle
The Rangers’ biggest challenge is financial. PuckPedia lists New York with roughly $500K in available cap space—nowhere near enough to absorb Schenn’s $6.5 million cap hit.
Even if St. Louis retained half of Schenn’s contract over its remaining two years, the Rangers would still need to clear meaningful salary. That could force them to consider moving a bigger contract such as Alexis Lafreniere’s. He has no trade protections this season, making him a potential cap casualty if New York goes all-in.
While the Blues might be open to taking Lafreniere, they may ultimately prefer the upside of a younger, high-ceiling talent like Othmann.